did he specify the 39.6% rate of the clinton years? he did not. so is there a little give ultimately to sort of say what if it doesn't go up to 39.6%, but say 37%, is that something the white house would accept? also, this that same interview, the president raised the possibility, which is that after you do tax reform and you close loopholes and deductions, that if the rate is raised, the top rate, there's always a possibility that after you do tax reform, of course, the top rate would then go down again. so it was -- you have to listen to the president very carefully to see where there might be some give. the problem from my point of view is that everybody knows what's got to be done in the long-term. it's the question of the short-term deal. >> john boehner, speaker of the house, he came up with a proposal. but not all the conservatives in the house and the senate are on board. jim demint, republican senator from south carolina. >> this is a time to negotiate with ourselves. we need to invite the president to work with us. his proposal was so ou